电影

I.Introduction toCharles Dickens （see Lecture Six）

II. Plot of the novel

GREAT EXPECTATIONS （1860-61）began as a serialized publication in Dickens's periodical All the Year Round on December 1，1860. The story of Pip （Philip Pirrip）was among Tolstoy's and Dostoyevsky's favorite novels. G.K. Chesterton wrote that it has "a quality of serene irony and even sadness，" which according to Chesterton separates it from Dickens's other works. "Ours was the marsh country，down by the river，within，as the river wound，twenty miles of the sea. My first most vivid and broad impression of the identity of things，seems to me to have been gained on a memorable raw afternoon towards evening. At such a time I found out for certain，that this bleak place overgrown with nettles was the churchyard；and that Philip Pirrip，late of this parish，and also Georgiana wife of the above，were dead and buried；and that Alexander，Bartholomew，Abraham，Tobias，and Roger，infant children of the aforesaid，were also dead and buried；and that the dark flat wilderness beyond the churchyard，intersected with dykes and mounds and gates，with scattered cattle feeding on it，was the marshes；and that the low leaden line beyond was the river；and that the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing，was the sea；and that the small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry，was Pip."Pip，an orphan，lives with his old sister and her husband. He meets an escaped convict named Abel Magwitch and helps him against his will. Magwitch is recaptured and Pip is taken care of Miss Havisham. He falls in love with the cold-hearted Estella，Miss Havisham's ward. With the help of an anonymous benefactor，Pip is properly educated，and he becomes a snob. Magwitch turns out to be the benefactor；he dies and Pip's "great expectations" are ruined. He works as a clerk in a trading firm，and marries Estella，Magwitch's daughter.

III.. Selected Reading

Chapter 39

I read with my watch upon the table，purposing to close my book at eleven o'clock. As I shut it，Saint Paul's，and all the many church-clocks in the City -- some leading，some accompanying，some following -- struck that hour. The sound was curiously flawed by the wind；and I was listening，and thinking how the wind assailed and tore it，when I heard a footstep on the stair.

What nervous folly made me start，and awfully connect it with the footstep of my dead sister，matters not. It was past in a moment，and I listened again，and heard the footstep stumble in coming on. Remembering then，that the staircase-lights were blown out，I took up my reading-lamp and went out to the stair-head. Whoever was below had stopped on seeing my lamp，for all was quiet.

`There is some one down there，is there not？' I called out，looking down.

`Yes，' said a voice from the darkness beneath.

`What floor do you want？'

`The top. Mr Pip.'

`That is my name. -- There is nothing the matter？'

`Nothing the matter，' returned the voice. And the man came on.

I stood with my lamp held out over the stair-rail，and he came slowly within its light. It was a shaded lamp，to shine upon a book，and its circle of light was very contracted；so that he was in it for a mere instant，and then out of it. In the instant，I had seen a face that was strange to me，looking up with an incomprehensible air of being touched and pleased by the sight of me.

Moving the lamp as the man moved，I made out that he was substantially dressed，but roughly；like a voyager by sea. That he had long iron-grey hair. That his age was about sixty. That he was a muscular man，strong on his legs，and that he was browned and hardened by exposure to weather. As he ascended the last stair or two，and the light of my lamp included us both，I saw，with a stupid kind of amazement，that he was holding out both his hands to me.

`Pray what is your business？' I asked him.

`My business？' he repeated，pausing. `Ah！Yes. I will explain my business，by your leave.'

`Do you wish to come in？'

`Yes，' he replied；`I wish to come in，Master.'

I had asked him the question inhospitably enough，for I resented the sort of bright and gratified recognition that still shone in his face. I resented it，because it seemed to imply that